Both of my babies were cloth diapered. My son's fluffy little butt is happily swaddled in an Alva all-in-one with cute little fuzzy dinosaurs on it. I love cloth diapers. They're cute. They're fun! They're affordable! They might be better for the environment than disposables!
But they're not for everyone. I've seen plenty of cases where cloth diapering just wasn't the reasonable option-- plenty of cases of moms turning "back from nature" and switching from cloth to disposable. Here are ten good reasons why some parents don't do cloth.
1. The Ick Factor
I can stomach spraying baby-poop off of diapers and shaking off the corn kernels and stinky clumps. Not everyone can. I'm not about to judge a parent who can't gag her way through laundering cloth diapers.
2. Daycare
Very few daycares will use cloth diapers, and many of the ones that do, cost a lot of money. I'm fortunate enough that I get to work from home with my kiddos and wash their diapers, but not everyone can.
3. Poverty
When my daughter was a baby, there was a time when I didn't have a washer or dryer and couldn't afford diapers of any kind. Those were rough days. How did I get through? Fifth-hand cloth diapers that were so threadbare that they were translucent and they held nothing. I washed them in the tub by hand (ew) and dried them on a line. Using cloth when you live in poverty is rough, but some states and charities provide disposable diapers to parents in need. Since most parents in poverty don't have washing machines or money for the laundromat, sposies are the best option in these cases.
4. Time
Not every parent has the time to launder cloth diapers. In the U.S., many parents don't have paid maternity leave and most go back to work when their babies are months, or even weeks, old. Laundering cloth when both parents have full-time jobs is nearly impossible, especially when combined with all the other stresses of daily life and child-rearing.
5. Environment
An article from the Washington Post went viral recently, suggesting that cloth may not actually be greener than disposable diapers. Clearly, this is something that varies by individual: "crunchy" disposables composted at home are clearly better than made-in-China cotton diapers lined with PUL, bleached in hot water, and tumbled-dried. Yet bamboo-fleece fair-trade prefolds that are hand-washed and line-dried are clearly a better option than Pampers. For moms who don't have the time or resources for sustainable cloth, disposables may really be a better option.
Ultimately, like so many other parenting choices, cloth diapering is a valid parenting choice that has collected a cult following. While there is nothing wrong with cloth diapers, there's a problem with greener-than-thou mommy clubs that condemn all disposable diapers. It's time that we all learn to mind our own business about what other people do with their kids' poop.
Is there any way you can include an "anonymous" posting choice? That way people can comment wo/linking to personal accounts?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I once saw an article, which was supposed to be in favor of cloth diapering. It broke down the costs, including laundry for a number of different cloth options, and it included disposables too. However, it included the most expensive brand of disposables, in the smallest package at the drug store. So, using their same formula, I put in the disposables numbers that I was experiencing---only the cheapest version or two of cloth was less expensive and the rest were either the same, or even more (per child). And I accounted for one child, even though I have twins, because obviously I had to spend more than most on diapers, no matter how you look at it, and if I'd chosen cloth, I'd have to have enough for both at the same time, no hand-me-downs.
Anyway, if cost if your main factor, buying BJs or Costco diapers in bulk is the best option. I don't know about environmental reasons---I also saw that article showing that cloth has environmental impact too.